


love by the moon

by undieshogun



Series: live by the sun, love by the moon [2]
Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Established Relationship, Fire Emblem Fates: Revelation Spoilers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-24
Updated: 2016-06-27
Packaged: 2018-07-17 22:42:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 16,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7289005
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/undieshogun/pseuds/undieshogun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three years after the conclusion of the Vallite war, Niles and Takumi find themselves each faced with an impossible question they must ask to the other while they still can. </p><p>Sequel to "at home beneath the stars"</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> well. not sure i saw this coming but. the sequel appears nonetheless ! some important background: 
> 
> -in the game, it is mentioned that the gates to valla open and close once every few decades  
> -this doesn't explain how the hoshidans and nohrians managed to return to their kingdoms after defeating anankos, since the gate is supposed to have closed immediately after they entered valla :,D  
> -so in this fic i'm operating under the assumption that the ruler of valla has the power to control the gates, to some extent
> 
> hope that makes sense. without further ado, please enjoy!

Dim moonlight streams through an open window, glancing off the edge of a polished cherrywood desk. A gentle evening breeze ruffles past dark curtains and brushes over a cloak hanging off the back of a tall cushioned armchair.

Under the warm light of an oil lamp, Niles reads a letter.

_ Niles,  _ i t starts as they all do. There is no  _ dear _ attached to his name, but Niles sees it in the careful drag of the ink across the top of the rich, thick parchment. 

The writing is cramped in some places and oddly spaced out in others, angled and sharp. It is the script of a hand unaccustomed to writing in Nohrian lettering. Still, there is something elegant in the tall, tilted loops and thin lines. Absently, Niles runs a finger over the dark ink. 

The first letter he'd received, nearly three years ago, had been written entirely in Hoshidan characters, sweeping and intricately patterned and painted in thick black ink. It had taken him several weeks to decipher, pouring over the few Hoshidan language anthologies that were held in the Castle Krakenburg library and seeking advice from his liege. Niles had been tutored in speaking Hoshidan after being appointed as Prince Leo's retainer, but the writing is something else entirely.

_ My apologies, _ the second letter had opened with after Niles had sent his reply, this time written in uneven Nohrian lettering. _  I have trouble expressing myself in my own voice in any language other than my home language. _

Niles smiles at the memory. The letters started out formal like this, like an exchange between diplomats rather than two people who had fought beside each other for an entire war. Now, though, the language is more relaxed and familiar, and Niles can hear the writer's voice in the turn of every sentence he reads.

_ I miss you every day. Everything is so boring without you there cracking your stupid jokes. _

The barb is a harmless one, made more out of habit than malice. A soft crease runs through the center of the parchment. Niles has folded and unfolded this letter countless times since he received it just days ago. He's already memorised every line, but he reads on regardless.

_ We set out tomorrow evening for the festival. If everything goes according to plan (it usually doesn't), we'll have arrived in Windmire on the day before the full moon. _

Niles glances out the window, where the waxing moon sits lofty against the dark canvas of the night sky. King Xander had informed the castle inhabitants earlier today that there had been a delay, and that they would be receiving the party tomorrow instead.

_ I know we've been watching the same moon all these months that we've spent apart, but it would be nice if we could do it together on that night. _

The signature at the bottom of the letter is written in both Nohrian script and Hoshidan characters.

_ Warmest affections, _

_ Takumi _

Fondness swells in Niles's chest as he reads the name, gaze sweeping intently across the calligraphy.

The fire inside the oil lamp flickers, drawing Niles's gaze momentarily. With a sigh, he reminds himself of how late it is, a light ache having long settled against his back from sitting at his desk for so long.

He brings the letter up to touch his lips to the painted signature before folding the letter carefully and storing it in a small chest underneath his desk. The glow of the nearly-full moon is inviting, especially after he's turned down the oil lamp, but he knows he'll have to be at his best tomorrow when the castle welcomes the Hoshidan royals, otherwise Prince Leo will be disappointed. 

At his bedside desk sits a small velvet box. He picks it up, brushing his thumb over the smooth surface, but doesn't open it. With a small sigh, he places the box inside his drawer and wonders if he will dream of Takumi tonight, if only just for the chance to see him a little bit sooner. 

-:-

The Festival of Flowers is one of the most long-practiced festivals in Nohr’s history, and it is also one of the most important. Starting from its inception and for the next several centuries that followed, it was held as a yearly celebration of the bond shared between the kingdoms of Nohr and Hoshido. It is no surprise, then, that this is the first time in nearly thirty years it has been celebrated. 

Niles has read about the Festival, but nothing could ever have prepared him for the sheer scale and extravagance of it. 

It starts with a reception for the members of the visiting royal family. Traditionally, the two kingdoms alternated in hosting the festival in their respective capitals. Thirty years ago, Hoshido was the last to host the festival; thus, this year King Xander didn’t hesitate to invite the Hoshidan royals to Castle Krakenburg. 

The reception begins with a parade of floats in the late afternoon, when the sun is already starting to sink down across the sky, but not quite so that it burns the horizon red yet. An undying love for parades and street festivals is one of the few things shared between the two kingdoms of Nohr and Hoshido, and thousands of Nohrians and Hoshidans alike line the streets to watch the Hoshidan royals arrive. It’s more people than Niles has ever seen in one place, outside of a battlefield, at least. 

The procession takes place on a main road of Windmire that ends at the front gates of Castle Krakenburg, where the Nohrian royals and their retainers await their arrival atop their mounts, swathed in dark ceremonial robes and cloaks rather than their usual uniform and armor. Niles stands by Prince Leo's mount and glances up at his liege, whose pursed lips and restless hands belie his otherwise calm exterior.

There hasn't been a Hoshidan Royal welcome within the walls of Castle Krakenburg for years. Tensions between Hoshido and Nohr have lessened but remain nonetheless, especially along the border, and everyone wants these next few days to pass without incident. At least, everyone who fought in the Vallite War.

Flower petals, deep reds and blacks from the Nohrian rose and pale whites and pinks from the Hoshidan cherry blossom thrown from windows and rooftops like confetti, cover the street and scatter beneath the wheels of horse-drawn platforms. Atop the platforms stand a series of larger-than-life sculptures depicting members of the royal families of both kingdoms. Wire and plaster skeletons make the sculptures light and easy to transport, and what give them their outward appearance and color are the thousands upon thousands of flower petals individually and painstakingly pasted onto the plaster by the Nohrian palace artists. Niles recognises the signature yellow found in certain lilies in King Xander’s hair, and the simple but elegant white of daisy petals in parts of King Ryoma’s robes. 

Predictably, Takumi’s sculpture keeps Niles’s attention for just a tad longer than the rest. Gentle blue forget-me-nots accented with red cranberry seeds make up his archer’s uniform, while the thin, soft-looking petals of a flower that Niles doesn’t recognise give his pale hair an interestingly fluffy quality. It’s nice to look at, but Niles is certain that it doesn’t do the real Takumi justice and only makes him all the more anxious to see him. 

The last of the floats passes through the castle gates and down towards the training grounds, where they’ll be taken down later tonight, if Niles’s experience with previous Nohrian street parades is anything to go by. 

Following the floats, the bulk of the procession is taken up by Hoshidan officials and nobles, no doubt here to be a part of the treaty renewal that will take place in the following days--another important custom of the festival (and perhaps its true purpose this year, given the current situation between the two kingdoms). Most of them are mounted on horses and pegasi, who keep their wings cinched tightly to their sides as they canter elegantly along the dark asphalt. The nobles, flanked by servants and guard, keep their chins up and their eyes forward, never meeting the gazes of the Nohrian commoners who have come out to watch them. They are all dressed in fabulous silks dyed in bright, warm colors.

Upon reaching the castle gates, the nobles pay their respects by dismounting and bowing deeply to King Xander, who returns the salutations with an inclination of his head. They then file out towards the side, lining up along the gate. 

The royals are last in the procession, seated in large, gold-gilted sedan chairs carried by members of the Hoshidan Royal Guard. Niles refrains from craning his neck to search for Takumi.

The youngest, Princess Sakura, is the first to reach the gates. Her Royal Guards lower her chair gently to the ground, and her retainers, Hana and Tsubaki, are at her side immediately to lend her a hand as she steps out of the sedan in a pair of tall wooden clogs. In her hand she holds a bouquet of dark roses and cherry blossom blooms--a symbol of peace and hope for a prosperous friendship between the two kingdoms for years to come. Her splendid kimono, white silk stained with pink and blue dyes, sweeps over her feet just inches off the ground, the cut straight and even. Niles wonders what type of kimono Takumi is wearing, and feels impatience itch at the back of his neck.

A herald's voice booms out over the crowd. "Princess Sakura, youngest sister of King Ryoma of Hoshido."

As Sakura comes out in front of the guard, cheeks pink and hobbling a little on the clogs, King Xander and the Nohrian royals dismount to greet her. Leo hands the reigns of his horse to Niles, then steps forward to line up next to his siblings.

"Princess Sakura, welcome," Xander says, holding a gloved hand out.

Sakura fumbles for a second, as if she's forgotten what to do, and Tsubaki leans down and murmurs an instruction into her ear.

Flushing red, she nods and steps forward timidly, then lays a tiny trembling hand in Xander's.

The custom is to kiss the back of the hand in formal greeting, but when Xander notices the way Sakura has her eyes closed tightly, as if she is too embarrassed to look, he smiles sympathetically and merely lays his other hand over hers briefly before releasing her.

In her spot beside Leo, Elise bounces on the balls of her feet as she watches Sakura come to stand across from her. Elise gives her a tiny wave, excitement just barely contained in her big sunny grin, and squeals softly as Sakura hands her the bouquet.

Niles can't help but smile at the sight of them, but then the herald's voice snatches his attention as he announces the next name.

"Prince Takumi, younger brother of King Ryoma of Hoshido."

Niles's head snaps back up towards the procession in time to see the second sedan chair being lowered onto the ground in front of Xander, just so that Niles can't see anything around Xander's broad shoulders.

"Oh, come on," Niles mutters.

But then Takumi steps out of the sedan chair, and Niles feels his breath catch in his throat when he finally sees him.

Takumi is draped in a kimono of deep blue silk, with floral patterns embroidered in glittering silver thread. The thick obi sash around his waist is a pale pink, decorated with milky white dyes and embroidered with thin, gold-threaded lines.

His long, pale hair has been pinned up in a tight bun against the back of his head, and Niles spots a hint of gold on what part of the clasp he can see (Hoshidans certainly love their gold, Niles thinks absently as he runs his eye down and over the curve of Takumi's exposed neck before flicking his gaze back up almost guiltily). A jeweled comb pushes back the bangs that normally hang down to frame Takumi’s face, and a tall silver pin sits at the top of the bun. The head of the pin is cut into a jeweled crescent moon, and from it hangs a tassel of star-shaped charms.

Niles swallows dryly when he notices the dusting of bronze powder brushed across the lids of Takumi's eyes and the peach-colored wax on his thin lips.

He's quite sure he's never seen a sight so beautiful in his entire life.

Niles swallows again, this time to keep from calling out to Takumi as he watches him bow in greeting to Xander. Leo glances back towards Niles and, seeing the expression on his face, rolls his eyes and mutters,

"Ugh, please."

But the way Leo adjusts his collar and straightens his back slightly as Takumi hands him his bouquet is more than indicative that he is just as impressed as Niles is.

Takumi gives Leo a friendly smile as he takes his place across from him, and then his gaze flickers over Leo's shoulder to where Niles is standing.

"Ah--" Niles utters without thinking, caught off guard. Takumi's dark eyes are just as he remembers them--wide and honey-colored in the sun, framed by short, thick lashes.

Takumi averts his gaze, flicking his eyes down towards the ground, but Niles doesn't miss the pink blooming across his freckled cheeks, or the tiny smile that pulls at the corner of his mouth for the briefest of moments. 

Niles takes in a sharp breath, and in that moment all he wants to do is walk up to Takumi, take his hand, and lead him somewhere quiet and still, where it will just be the two of them. 

But his attentions belong elsewhere right now, Niles is reminded when the herald's voice rings out for a third time, announcing Princess Hinoka's arrival. The next few moments pass in a haze as the procession comes to an end with the arrival of King Ryoma, who is greeted by the commoners with loud cheering and a fresh burst of flower petals flittering through the air around him. 

Niles spends the entire time letting his gaze drift repeatedly towards Takumi, who stands stock-still in his spot between his sisters.

Takumi's expression is carefully controlled, but his downcast gaze and the way he fiddles with the hems of his wide sleeves betray his anxiety. Niles wonders how long it's been since Takumi wore something like this out in public and imagines he must be dying for the whole thing to be over already. Yet despite himself, he desperately wishes Takumi would look up at him again.

No such luck presents itself. After Ryoma and Xander have exchanged their greetings, the Nohrian royals begin leading the Hoshidans through the castle gate, and Niles finds himself stuck with the duty of taking Leo's horse back to the castle stables with the other retainers while Takumi follows his siblings into the castle.

Niles sighs as he watches Takumi disappear among the crowd of Hoshidan nobles filing through the castle's main entrance without so much as a backwards glance .

"Aww, what's got you down, Niles?" asks Peri, leading Xander's gargantuan chestnut mare behind her. "Were you also thinking about how it would be nice to get a ride in one of those fancy chairs?" 

Niles huffs out a laugh. "Not really," he answers. "Although now that you mention it..."

"I bet it's super comfortable!" says Peri, eyes shining. "Probably way more comfortable than riding on a horse, since horses can't help the way they walk so funny. But you can always tell the people carrying you to be careful, otherwise they'll get what's comin' for them!"

Niles is pretty sure Peri doesn't stop talking the entire time they're in the stables up until they part, but he spends the whole while tuning her out in favor of thinking about Takumi and hoping he'll have the chance to see him again before the night is over.

-:-

The banquet goes as most Nohrian royal banquets do--there is a good deal of boring music, an even greater deal of food, and far too great a deal of alcohol. 

The Hoshidans can't seem to get over the fact that Nohrian wine is made of grapes. "It's sweet!" Niles has heard at least twenty different Hoshidan nobles and officials exclaim over the past hour. He's not sure he's ever seen so many red faces in one room at a time.

The seating places the royals from both countries at the front of the long dining table, with Xander and Ryoma sitting side by side at the head. Following them are the members of the Hoshidan and Nohrian court, and at the far end sit Niles and his fellow retainers.

Niles picks at his food and, for the hundredth time, glances over to where Takumi is sitting at the front of the table, locked in a heated but (probably) friendly debate with Leo over something that likely involves a book they've both read recently. Takumi hasn't looked his way once during the entire dinner, and Niles is starting to grow restless. When will he get a chance to speak to him, or at least pass on a message? More importantly, why won’t he look at him? Is Takumi really that nervous about meeting him again? 

It's bad form to get up from the table and visit others during an official royal banquet. Niles wouldn't care much about it if he had the choice, but Leo had specifically asked him to be on his very best behavior today. And so, he resigns himself to gazing at Takumi from his end of the table like a lovestruck teenager. 

"Wow, Niles. What's with that expression?"

Niles looks to his left, shaken from his thoughts, to see Oboro staring at him with an eyebrow cocked. Niles isn't really in the mood to be talking to anyone right now, but he and Oboro had gotten to be fairly good friends during the war, so he allows himself to relax a little.

"What expression?" he asks, lifting his eyebrows and curling his lips into a crooked smile that makes Oboro roll her eyes.

"I've given enough stink-eye in my life to recognise it on someone else," she says, settling into the seat next to him and bumping her shoulder against his. "Come on, today should be a happy day! Lord Takumi's been talking about this trip for weeks, you know. You should be excited to see him."

Niles lets his face pinch back into the grimace he's been wearing all night. Count on Oboro to be able to read him like a book. He shrugs and looks back at Takumi. “Well, I'm certainly seeing him." 

Oboro blinks at him for a second, and then her expression lights up with realisation. "Oh, Niles! You're just feeling impatient, aren't you?" 

"He won't even look at me," Niles mutters, though he's not sure if he meant to say it aloud. 

At that, Oboro pauses. Sensing her hesitation, Niles pounces. "Do you know something?" 

"Er...look, there's nothing to worry about, okay? He's just...thinking about some stuff," says Oboro, and she flinches as they both realise how bad that sounded. "It's nothing bad, okay? Trust me." 

Something heavy settles uncomfortably in the pit of Niles's stomach. "Oboro," he says softly, in that voice he knows makes people squirm.

"Look, it's not my place to talk about any of this, okay?" she says in a last ditch effort to  save her own skin.

Niles wants to keep pressing, but he knows Oboro is right. With a sigh, he backs off. "Fine. But at least pass a message on to him for me?"

"Sure," Oboro says, looking relieved that Niles is no longer trying to choke an answer out of her.

"Tell him to meet me tonight in the gardens, whenever he can."

Oboro nods, and with that Niles excuses himself from the banquet hall. He catches Leo's eye as he leaves, but Leo doesn't try to stop him. If he needs him, Leo will have someone fetch him.

Niles sends one last glance Takumi's way, but Takumi is absorbed in a conversation with Hinoka and doesn't even seem to notice the hole Niles has been boring into his skull all evening.

Fighting the unsettling feeling that has made a home in his gut, Niles turns and leaves.

-:-

The royal Nohrian gardens are less like gardens and more like a touch of wilderness inside the concrete fortress that is Castle Krakenburg. Rosebushes bloom without restraint along the cobblestone walkways, their branches heavy with large flowers and lined with giant black thorns. Vibrant green vines web their way across and over the castle walls and the grass lawns, and large spindly wisterias and weeping willows sweep the ground with their overgrown branches. 

The gardens weren't always so poorly maintained--in fact, Niles remembers that the first time he had been here, many years ago, the gardens had been a public attraction. The royal family used to invite Nohrian commoners to walk in the gardens and even picnic there on special occasions. But when Nohr had become embroiled in war, the gardens had fallen out of everyone's attentions, and just a few years of free reign had transformed the delicate plants into fierce survivors.

Niles leans down by a rosebush and pushes the pad of his finger against a thorn, hard enough to sting but not so that it breaks skin.

Leave something alone for long enough, and it will start to believe it cannot survive any other way...or so people say. Lately, Niles finds himself tending more to believe otherwise. 

In the center of the garden, surrounded by a ring of bluebells, sits a pair of stone benches. Niles likes to think that whoever placed them there must have been in the habit of watching the sky too, because he’s come to find over the years that no matter when it is he comes out, no matter what phase the moon is in, that is always the best spot for gazing.

The bluebells glow softly under the light of the full moon, as if there is something magic running through them. Niles chuckles to himself at the thought. He used to know people who saw magic in everything. Most of them are dead now--some had simply left. The one who stayed is tired and, these days, spends more time reading legal documents than magical tomes, but Niles takes comfort in knowing that every day Nohr benefits and grows from his efforts and sacrifices. 

Niles lies down on the bench, the marble smooth and cold against his back, but he doesn't mind. He counts on it to keep him awake as he watches the full moon and waits for Takumi.

-:-

Time passes differently when one is busy losing himself in his thoughts. It feels like hours--and at the same mere seconds--have passed before he hears the soft  _ clip clip _ of wooden clogs against the cobblestone walkway.

Niles pushes himself up off his back and, for a second, almost doesn't recognise Takumi.

The clean, bright moonlight glows against his pale hair like a halo, and the thread patterns in his kimono glimmer subtly as he takes measured steps down the pathway towards where Niles is. Except for the slight furrow in his brow, he looks ethereal. 

When he sees that Niles has noticed him, however, his expression brightens. "Niles!"

It's the first time Niles has heard his voice in a year. He knows he would never forget it--he hears it in his head every time he reads one of Takumi's letters--but having Takumi  _ here _ , calling his name with such joy and warm affection...

Niles leaps to his feat and closes the distance between them in three strides before he is scooping Takumi into his arms, laughing when Takumi gives a gasp and holds tight onto him. The sharp, unfamiliar scent of dyed silk surrounds him, but underneath it Niles can still gather a soft floral aroma that he knows well, and he buries his nose into Takumi's neck to breathe it in.

Takumi brings a hand up to run through Niles's unruly hair before settling it against the back of his neck, archer's calluses rough but familiar and comfortable against the sensitive skin there.

They stand there in each other's arms for a while, feeling each other and breathing each other in, and then Takumi gets impatient.

"Niles--" says Takumi, squirming a little, and he breaks out into a giggle when Niles nuzzles against his neck. "That tickles!"

Niles pulls away and brings his hands up to hold Takumi's face. Takumi looks down, pale lashes fluttering. Even after all this time, it's always his first instinct to avert his gaze. But it doesn’t bother Niles like it used to--he always looks back eventually, even if it's just for a shy, fleeting glance. If anything, those are Niles’s favorite. 

Some of the bronze makeup on his eyes has come off, but what remains of it still glints faintly in the moonlight. Niles gently tilts Takumi's head up, and the way Takumi's lips part slightly in anticipation sends a warm thrill running up Niles's spine. He doesn't waste any time leaning down to capture Takumi's lips with his own, smiling at the way Takumi sighs softly into the kiss. Kissing Takumi is like taking in a breath of fresh air after a long run--light, reinvigorating, and something Niles can never quite get enough of. 

Niles's lips are sticky when he pulls away, and Takumi's eyes widen.

"Sorry, that's my..."

Niles runs his tongue over his lips, and his eyebrows go up at the bitter taste of wax.

Takumi's ears turn red, and he raises a hand to cover his pink lips. "I should probably wipe this stuff off--it looks silly on me anyway--"

Niles pulls Takumi's hand away and ducks his head to kiss him again, and then once more, smearing the wax against the corner of Takumi's mouth in a pink streak. 

"Niles!" Takumi protests, voice shaking with laughter. 

Niles pulls back with a grin to admire his handiwork. "It looks good on you," he says.

Takumi looks up, tracing his eyes over Niles's lips, and snickers. "You look good, too."

"Hm..." Niles makes a show of contemplating. "I think I'm more of a bold red kind of guy."

Takumi laughs again, eyelashes fluttering, and Niles's chest swells with affection. He pulls a handkerchief out from his pocket and, holding a hand up against Takumi's jaw to keep him still, wipes the wax off for him.

Takumi puts his hand over Niles's and leans into his touch with a contented smile.

"I've missed you," he says, eyes soft.

Niles sucks in a short breath. "I've missed you, too," he replies, and he pulls Takumi into another hug. He's gotten taller, Niles realises when Takumi turns his head to place a feather-light kiss at the edge of Niles's jaw and their cheeks press together. And he looks so different in this flashy, elaborate ceremonial garb, with his hair up and his face painted, more different than any time Niles has ever seen him, but the beauty is still so distinctly  _ Takumi _ \--the dark eyes and the freckles sprinkled across the bridge of his nose and that full, bright smile--

"Gods, I've missed you so much," Niles breathes, voice catching in his throat.

Takumi is silent as he pulls away to brush the pad of his thumb over Niles’s cheek. His expression has changed into something clouded and troubled, and the uncomfortable feeling in Niles’s gut returns. 

"Takumi," says Niles, frowning slightly. 

"I have something to tell you," Takumi admits, pulling his hand back to run it over his arm in what Niles recognises as a nervous reflex. "But not right now." 

Niles opens his mouth to protest, but Takumi shakes his head, looking up at him with a beseeching gaze. "Later tonight, okay? I promise I'll tell you then, but for now I just...I want to watch the moon with you, like we usually do."

Niles hesitates, but gives in. "I'll be holding you to that, then. Later tonight."

They sit down together on the bench, Takumi leaning up against Niles, and Niles tries to ignore the way Takumi's relieved smile only seems to make the pit in his stomach grow.

The moon moves slowly, inching across the dark sky as the night passes. Takumi seems unable to look away, head tilted upwards and gaze fixed towards the bright, clean light.

Niles finds himself watching Takumi more than anything else, running his gaze over and over down the curve of his neck, the dip of his throat peeking out from above the collar of his kimono. Takumi knows he's staring, too. He glances down every once in a while to see Niles looking right back at him, and turns pink. It makes Niles want to tease him.

Unable to hold back a wide grin, Niles very deliberately traces a finger along the collar of Takumi's kimono, where it runs across the back of his neck.

Takumi shivers and turns to frown at Niles, who feels his smile widen. It's cute when Takumi turns his mouth down like that. "Niles..."

"Did Oboro make this outfit for you?" Niles asks casually, before slipping a finger beneath the collar to drag his knuckle against Takumi's skin.

Takumi’s jaw tenses visibly. The sensible thing would be for him to call Niles out, but they both know that would mean he's letting it get to him, and Takumi hates losing. It's one of Niles's favorite things about him.

"Yes, she did," says Takumi, voice surprisingly even, though he's not as subtle as he thinks he is in the way he clenches his hands briefly in his lap before splaying them out against the silk of his kimono. "She worked very hard on it."

"You Hoshidans really have a taste for the extravagant, don't you?" Niles remarks, tracing his touch up the back of Takumi's neck, brushing against the pale baby hairs there and watching with delight as little goosebumps rise in response.

Niles can see Takumi chewing the inside of his cheek as red flushes up his neck, but he still doesn't give in, instead releasing his breath in a huff of laughter. "Niles..." 

Niles lays the palm of his hand flat against the back of Takumi’s neck, then dips his head to nose along Takumi's jaw. "Yes?" he murmurs against his skin, knowing it will tickle.

Takumi flinches away, giggling softly, and finally admits defeat. "Okay, quit it." He plucks Niles's hand away from his neck, but Niles doesn't miss the way his grip tightens around it briefly, almost painfully, as if he's just slipped somewhere and is holding onto him for dear life.

Overcome with the urge to be closer to Takumi, Niles stands up.

"Let's go inside," he says, and Takumi looks up at him, expression unreadable, before nodding in agreement.

The night is still young--they'd been out in the gardens for well over two hours, but as they make their way back into the castle they can still hear the sounds of the banquet coming from their left. Still holding tightly onto Takumi's hand, Niles turns and heads up towards the upper floors, where his chambers lie.

Takumi follows along quietly, and when Niles looks over his shoulder he sees him looking up in wonder at the castle halls as they pass through--at the paintings and tapestries hung up on the walls, the dark patterned rugs they walk over with quiet, hurried steps.

"I like your castle better," Niles tells him. "The colors are a lot easier on the eyes. And it's warmer."

"I like our castle better too," Takumi replies absently, still unable to tear his gaze away from the hard cement walls, littered with infinitesimally small cracks, though Niles knows that he and all the other castle inhabitants share the same inexplicable confidence that they will hold.

"Well, this isn't quite up to par with what you're used to, but--" Niles pushes open a tall mahogany door and leads Takumi into his bedroom.

If possible, Takumi's eyes gleam even brighter with unrestrained fascination the moment he spots the rack of bows set on display at the far end of the room, next to a tall wardrobe that holds all of Niles's adventurer's gear. He stops only to step politely out of his wooden clogs, and then he is letting his hand slip out of Niles’s as he makes a beeline for the display. 

"Your collection’s grown," Takumi remarks, hand hovering over a sharp-edged killer bow that Niles had picked up just a few weeks ago from a merchant who did not deal during the day. "Do you...have to use them often?"

Niles knows he's asking about the rebellions that have been springing up along some of the inner cities, still unhappy with the reconciliation of the two kingdoms. "Only if I have to," Niles answers vaguely. Prince Leo's duty is to peaceful reform. He tries to avoid conflict when he can, but no one is naive enough to assume that it can be avoided altogether.

Takumi nods, though Niles can tell he isn't satisfied with that answer. "May I...?"

Niles inclines his head, and Takumi lifts the killer bow from its stand, holding it almost delicately between his hands and raising it up against the moonlight streaming through the window to examine it.

"It's a little heavier than I thought it would be," Takumi says, though he seems to have no trouble with it. The kimono makes his shoulders look slender, the wide sleeves burying his arms, but Niles knows that underneath it Takumi is all wiry strength. Still, the sight of him now, dressed like a prince while hefting a deadly weapon like a warrior--

Niles rubs at the back of his neck and tries to gather his thoughts. "That’s the tradeoff. The draw is more powerful, but only if you can manage to keep it still and aim it well enough."

Takumi's expression breaks into a smug smile that usually only appears in battle. "I bet I could," he says, plucking lightly at the thick string.

"I would  _ love _ to watch you do it," says Niles before he can help himself, voice falling low out of habit, and he winces inwardly.

But Takumi’s smile only grows as he carefully places the bow back onto its stand. "That would be fun, don't you think? To get some shooting practice in together."

Niles thinks about the last time they had trained together, sometime towards the end of the war. Takumi had run into him at the archery fields and immediately wanted to join him, asking him about his technique and insisting on a friendly competition. Takumi had had him vastly outmatched from the beginning, but it had only gotten harder from there as the afternoon heat had Takumi shrugging out of his shirt, exposing the wash of freckles across his shoulders and the lean muscle that ran down his arms.

"Yeah," Niles breathes, vision go out of focus momentarily at the memory. "Fun."

Takumi stares at him, and Niles notices too late to wipe the dazed look on his face. A sly smile spreads slowly across Takumi's lips, and Niles swallows.

"Distracted? That's not like you, Niles," Takumi says softly, and then he's taking light, deliberate steps towards Niles.

Niles's arms come up automatically to rest at Takumi's waist as the other steps into his space, and distantly he realises that Takumi is getting back at him for what he'd done in the gardens. "I'm just thinking about how I'm looking forward to..."

Takumi winds his arms around Niles's neck and looks up at Niles through his lashes. "Shooting practice?"

"Yeah," Niles says faintly. "Shooting practice."

Takumi ducks his head with a soft huff, and Niles can tell he's trying not to laugh. 

_ Gods _ . It should break the mood, but somehow it only serves to scramble Niles’s thoughts. 

"And exactly which part of shooting practice, pray tell, were you most looking forward to?"

Niles wonders if he can stare at Takumi's obi hard enough that it will come apart by itself. Absently, he flexes his fingers around Takumi's waist, pulling a sharp intake of breath out from the other. "The part where we get really sweaty and start taking our clothes off."

Takumi bursts out laughing at that, throwing his head back so that the tassels in the pin jingle against each other, and then he's leaning up on his toes and kissing Niles, lips parting against his in invitation.

Niles takes him up on it without hesitation, pushing his tongue up against Takumi's and into the other's mouth. Takumi lets out a small, intimate sound and tightens his arms around Niles's neck, pulling them closer to each other.

"Gods, I adore you," Niles pulls away to murmur against Takumi's wet lips, and then he kisses him again, chasing the faint taste of sweet grape wine on the back of Takumi's tongue.

It is the breeze that breaks them apart, coming through the open window and brushing against the back of Takumi's neck and making him shiver.

"Sorry about that," Niles says sheepishly, and it takes a moment for him to muster the strength to pull away from Takumi and move across the room to close the window.

"Don't you get cold in here?" Takumi asks, though he already knows the answer. To Niles, the discomfort of the cold in itself is something to take comfort in. For a long time, it was one of the only things Niles trusted to remind him that he was still capable of feeling at all.

It wasn't long after the war, though, that Niles came to rely on a different, much less unpleasant reminder.

When he returns to Takumi's side, Takumi turns, presenting the back of his obi to Niles. "Help me out of this thing?" he asks, and there is nothing even remotely seductive about the way he says it, yet somehow it still has Niles pausing to gather himself.

He looks down, reaches over, and hesitates.

"Here," says Takumi. Without looking back, he reaches one arm beneath the fold of the obi and untucks one end, a line of silk spilling out of the knot. He tugs at another section and Niles takes the hint, taking over where Takumi leaves off and pulling. The front of the knot spills out, layers unfolding from on top of more layers, the dyed silk unbelievably soft against his palms.

"One more," Takumi says, bringing his hand back again to show Niles what to do, and Niles untucks the other end of the obi, breath quickening as the sash goes slack around Takumi's waist. Niles gathers one end of the obi, folding it so as to not crumple it, and slowly unwraps it from Takumi's waist, bringing his arms around him to transfer his grip, then pulling back to do the same on the other side until he's freed Takumi entirely, the kimono falling loose around Takumi's middle.

Niles lays the obi gently over the back of his armchair, unable to take his eyes from Takumi the entire time, and then his hands are back to grasping gently at silk. He looks at Takumi, who nods at him to continue and, heart sitting thick at the back of his throat, Niles pushes the kimono off Takumi's shoulders...

Only to be met by another robe, thin white material sitting snug against Takumi's figure. He gives Takumi a flat look, and Takumi’s laugh is utterly unapologetic.

"You should see how long it takes to put it all on," Takumi says, watching with intent eyes as Niles folds the kimono and drapes it over the armchair as well, on top of the obi. Takumi takes Niles's hands in his and pulls them up towards the knot of the robe’s tie. "Last one, promise."

"And I thought I was the tease," Niles mutters, hoping the tremor in his voice isn't too obvious. Carefully, he tugs the knot loose, and the robe falls open to reveal planes of lean muscle underneath sunkissed skin.

A pale red flush runs up Takumi's neck and against the lines of his cheekbones, and Niles can feel an airy heat thrumming underneath his own skin as he lets his eyes wander for a moment. He brushes a touch against the hollow of Takumi's throat, watching the way it moves as he swallows, then lifts the robe off of Takumi's shoulders.

Takumi lets it fall to the ground, expression dazed with anticipation as he stands bare before Niles. Niles tries not to stare too long, knowing it makes Takumi nervous. He distracts himself by reaching up and pulling the pin out of his hair instead, turning it in his hand to see the way the jewels glitter blue and red in the moonlight.

"Were you thinking of me?" Niles asks.

Takumi nods, and his expression changes. "You can have it, if you want."

Niles raises an eyebrow. "Not sure I'd wear it as well as you do."

"I meant to remember me by. Wh-whenever we're apart, just in general." Takumi bites his lip and glances up at him. Niles hasn't seen him so nervous in a long time, and he knows right away that this is about that thing Takumi isn't telling him.

Takumi had promised him “later tonight," and the moon is already hanging high in the sky, out of view from the window.

But Niles can tell how badly Takumi doesn't want to talk about this right now, and now Niles has no doubt that whatever he says, whenever it is he does, will change something between them.

So instead of asking him about it, Niles places the pin on his bedside desk and says, "Turn around for me?"

Takumi gives him a questioning glance, but complies, turning his back to Niles. 

A smattering of brown freckles runs across Takumi's shoulders, bunched together up high and then scattering down his back. Niles runs his palm over them and leans down to kiss the spot between Takumi's shoulder blades, silently delighting in the way Takumi jumps slightly in reaction.

Takumi's skin is warm beneath his lips, and as Niles grazes them across Takumi's shoulder he lets them linger on the scars, rough raised tissue standing pink against his olive skin.

_ To the warriors of Hoshido, scars are trophies _ , Takumi had told him once, the first time he and Niles had revealed themselves wholly to each other, but it was with an expression twisted in pain, as if he hated the memory of every wound he'd received.

Niles doesn't find it terribly difficult to relate. On bad days, just thinking about his missing eye makes it ache with a dull phantom pain. But there is some merit in the beliefs of the Hoshidan warriors--their scars are a sign that they have healed, after all, and Takumi's ability to get back up on his feet without dwelling on his failures is something Niles has always admired in him.

"Niles," Takumi says quietly, pulling Niles from his thoughts, and he realises that he's gotten distracted, hands wandering around and up over Takumi's chest.

"Ah...sorry," Niles says, though he's not apologizing for the way Takumi leans into the touch, bringing a hand up to wrap his fingers lightly around Niles's wrist.

Reluctantly, Niles pulls away and reaches up towards the golden clasp in Takumi's hair. He recognises the pattern that's been cut into the metal--it is the crest of the Hoshidan Royal Family. What a burden, to have the responsibilities of an entire nation rest on your shoulders, and to be born into it no less, forced into a lifetime of servitude to thousands of strangers.

_ I like being with you _ , Takumi often tells Niles.  _ You're the only one who sees me as more than just a prince. _

Niles pulls the clasp away and Takumi's hair tumbles out of its bun, rolling down his back and unraveling with a rush of heavy floral fragrance. Niles runs his fingers through it, marveling at how it slides heavy and smooth against his skin. The jeweled comb comes out with a gentle tug, and Niles pushes his knuckles against Takumi’s scalp to massage some of the tension out. 

Takumi sighs softly and relaxes under his touch, shoulders dropping.

With a small smile, Niles moves a hand down to rub circles in the back of his neck. "Long day, huh?"

"You have no idea," Takumi mutters, and Niles can't help but chuckle at that.

"We don't have to do this tonight if you don't want to," Niles says softly.

Takumi turns and reaches up to thread his fingers through Niles's hair. It is a slow and gentle touch, one that Niles knows Takumi has offered to few others outside of his family, and he leans into it. "I know," Takumi says, and he rests his fingers against the tie on the back of Niles's eyepatch.

Niles ducks his head in silent permission, and closes his eye as Takumi pulls the knot loose and slides the eyepatch away. The cold air stings against the edges of the space where his right eye used to be, but Takumi's touch is warm as he runs his thumb over the skin beneath it.

Niles opens his eyes.

Nothing changes, of course, and by now the small pang of disappointment is nothing more than a reflexive reaction to the tired reminder that what's gone is gone. Truthfully, every year he forgets more and more of what it was like to be able to see with both eyes.

Takumi leans up on his toes to press a gentle kiss to the corner of the empty eye. It is something he does every time, not out of pity or something so trite. It's just...emotion, and gentleness. It's a side of Takumi very few people get to see, and Niles always feels a rush of gratefulness that Takumi has chosen to share it with him so many times. 

"I love you," Takumi whispers, lips ghosting across Niles's skin.

Niles swears he feels his heart stop for a second. "I love you, too," he says, and then his stomach drops when he pulls away and sees that Takumi's cheeks are wet. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Takumi's eyes widen as if he's only just realised it himself, and he turns his head away to scrub his hand against his eyes. "It's nothing. I just--got emotional."

He's lying--gods, he should know by now that Niles can always tell when he lies. But Niles can't ignore how desperate he is to hide whatever it is that's been haunting him (not hiding, just waiting for the right time, Niles corrects himself, because he knows that Takumi will tell him when he’s ready). So Niles lets an easy smile curl at the edge of his mouth and says, "What, did you miss me that much?"

Takumi huffs out a laugh, voice thick, and then wraps his arms around Niles's neck in a tight hug, burying his face into his shoulder. "Yeah," he says. "I did."

Niles leans down and sweeps Takumi's feet out from under him, eliciting a startled yelp from him as he lifts him up in his arms. "Let's not waste any more time, then."

-:-

The feeling of waking up next to warm body is something Niles isn't quite accustomed to yet. Still, as he pulls Takumi closer to him and buries his face into the other’s chest, clean morning light streaming through the tall window, he thinks it's something he is definitely looking forward to getting used to.

Takumi is already awake, propped up on his elbow and running his fingers through Niles's messy curls, blunt nails scraping gently against his scalp in a rhythmic, soothing gesture that almost has Niles drifting back to sleep.

Fighting his morning grogginess, Niles breathes in deeply through his nose, smelling rose oil and dyed silk. "How long have you been up?" he murmurs into Takumi's chest.

"A few hours."

The sun is warm against Niles's back. "What time is it?"

"Sunrise was about an hour ago."

Niles pauses. "Was it a dream?"

"Yeah." Takumi's fingers twitch minutely in Niles's hair. "I've already forgotten what it was about."

Niles pulls away to look up at Takumi through heavy-lidded eyes. His expression is troubled--he always frowns a little when he lies, like he doesn't like that he's doing it.

"I know you're getting tired of lying to me," Niles says softly, and is struck by the profound sadness that darkens Takumi's eyes.

"I should have told you yesterday," says Takumi, and he looks away, expression twisting with guilt. "Last night, I...I was being selfish."

"You can tell me now," says Niles, and he gently grasps Takumi's jaw to direct his gaze back to him. He knows that fear in his eyes. It is an old fear, born of insecurity, and it makes him look frighteningly young.

Takumi leans away, pulling back from Niles's touch, and Niles can't hide the hurt in his expression at the gesture.

"I'm sorry," Takumi says, the guilt profoundly obvious in his the way his voice shakes. "Let's...have breakfast. I'll tell you then."

_ I need more time _ , he is saying, and Niles knows he's already given Takumi more than enough of it, but then he sees the way Takumi is grasping his arm, anxiety pushing his nails into his own skin deep enough to leave marks.

"Okay," Niles relents. "Breakfast first."

Takumi is quiet as they get out of bed and get dressed, barely looking at each other the entire time. When Niles turns around, he is somewhat disappointed to see that Takumi is wearing a different, more simple kimono than the one from the previous night, patterned with light red and beige dyes typical of Hoshidan royal dress.

"Wait--where did you get that?" asks Niles.

"Oh, um...Oboro dropped it off this morning," Takumi murmurs, cheeks pink.

Niles raises his eyebrows, but can't bring himself to make a joke of it with the heavy mood still surrounding them. Instead, he gently takes the familiar black ribbon Takumi is holding and nods in silent offering.

Takumi concedes, turning around and pushing his hair back over his shoulders. He’s already brushed it, and it hangs like a curtain against his back. Niles gathers it into his hands and pulls it up, wrapping the ribbon around it in Takumi's usual high ponytail and tying it tightly.

"Thank you," Takumi says almost shyly.

"Any time," says Niles. He puts his hand on Takumi's shoulder, squeezing it in a gesture that he hopes comes off as reassuring.

Takumi reaches up and touches the back of Niles’s hand gently before pulling away, as if that's all he dares to do. "Let's go eat."

There’s a good chance that breakfast is being served at the dining hall for the guests, but Niles knows the table will be filled with tired and hungover nobles and royals, if last night has given any sort of indication of what to expect. So he leads Takumi down the other side of the castle wing towards the kitchens.

"We still on for shooting practice later on?" Niles asks to fill the silence.

"Um...sure," says Takumi, looking distracted. "I have to go to the treaty renewal this afternoon, so we can do it after breakfast if you...still want to."

"Of course I do," Niles says, and Takumi merely nods quietly, looking down at the ground.

Niles feels bad for wishing he would look a little happier about it.

The staff worker at the entrance of the kitchen raises an eyebrow at Niles as they approach, but all it really takes is a grin and a wiggle of his fingers to get past him.

"Let's see what we've got today," Niles murmurs as he takes Takumi through the kitchens. 

It’s crowded and noisy inside, bustling with frantic activity, and Takumi sticks close to Niles, grasping the hem of his shirt as he follows Niles in. 

“What are you feeling?" Niles asks him. 

"Anything's fine," says Takumi, but Niles sees the way his gaze catches on the counter where a cook is piling fresh fruits and syrup on top of toasted bread.

"Ah, the toast. You'll love it," says Niles, and he slinks up to the counter to swipe two plates just as the cook turns back towards him. 

"Hey, what are you doing in here?" demands the cook, rearing and raising her spatula in warning. "They're already serving out there."

Niles freezes and smiles sheepishly. "We just...thought we'd sit somewhere else this morning." He tilts his head towards Takumi. 

"You..." The cook’s eyes widen when she sees Takumi. "Prince Takumi! My apologies--I didn’t realise…” 

Takumi grows visibly uncomfortable, rubbing the back of his neck and eyeing the exit like he wants to make a break for it. He shifts his feet and shoots a look at Niles.

"I was just showing him around," Niles says, drawing the cook’s attention back towards him and pushing his best smile onto his face. "Hope you don’t mind."  

"Of course not," says the cook right away, inclining her head towards Takumi, who gives her an awkward smile in return. 

Toast in hand, the two of them manage to escape the kitchens unscathed. 

“I was actually a little scared for you in there,” Takumi says as Niles takes them towards the gardens. 

“The night crew is used to seeing me around, but I guess the day crew is a bit of a tougher crowd,” Niles says, cheeks warm. “That was...a little embarrassing.” 

Takumi chuckles, and it’s one of those laughs that makes Niles feel like he could embarrass himself a hundred times over just to hear it again. 

The gardens look different during the day than they do at night. When the dark clouds over Nohr began receding after the war, many of the flowers were unused to the powerful sunlight that now streamed down on them on the regular. Some of them withered, drying up under the heat, but Niles's favorite ones are the ones that became stronger, growing taller and gaining more vibrant colors as the weeks passed, blooms opening and angling up towards the bright, clean light instead of shrinking away from it.

Niles and Takumi sit underneath a steel-wired gazebo, rays of sunlight filtering through the spaces in the floral patterns on the roof.

The silence that settles between them is instantly tense to the point of near painfulness. Takumi refuses to meet his eyes, instead staring down at his breakfast and picking at it listlessly. Niles himself finds it difficult to work up an appetite, nibbling at his fruit as he tries to decide what to do. If he waits for Takumi to start talking, it may only make Takumi nervous. But if he brings something else up to fill the silence, Takumi might take the chance to keep the topic going and avoid telling Niles yet again.

Niles rubs at the bridge of his nose as he contemplates. Takumi notices the gesture and his face pinches with anxiety.

"Hey," Niles says, reaching across the table and taking Takumi's hand in his. The other's skin is cold and damp, hand trembling slightly in his grip, and he holds it tight as he brings it up to his lips. "I won't get mad."

If anything, Takumi's expression becomes even more pained. "That's not what I'm afraid of." 

"Listen--I want you to trust me," says Niles, and he doesn't realise how serious he is about it until it comes out. He  _ desperately _ wants Takumi to trust him, because he knows there are few people who would if they knew as much about Niles as Takumi does. "I love you no matter what, Takumi. You know that."

The troubled expression doesn't disappear, but Takumi nods and squeezes Niles's hand back before taking a slow, deep breath.

"You know that Corrin has been controlling how the gate to Valla opens and closes these past few years, right?" Takumi begins, still not looking at him.

The uncomfortable feeling that has been sitting at the pit of Niles's stomach for the past day begins crawling its way up his throat. "Yes," he says while he can still speak.

"And--for the past couple of years, she’s been keeping it open. Hoshido and Nohr have both been using it to aid her in her efforts to restore Valla," Takumi continues.

Niles nods to show that he’s following along. This isn’t news to him, but he lets Takumi take his time. 

"Ryoma's been busy with his own stuff now that he's king, so he's been sending me down to act as Corrin's advisor and...we've been getting a lot done," says Takumi, and Niles can't help the proud smile that pushes its way onto his face.

"That's great to hear," Niles says.

Takumi glances up at him. "Y-yeah, it's just...there's still so much left to do, and--well, it turns out that opening and closing the gates takes a lot out of Corrin. She’s going to close the gates again in a few weeks."

This time, Niles can only nod in reply, the bad feeling settling thick in his throat.

"She needs me--she needs all the help she can get if she's going to bring Valla back, and these next few years are going to be crucial." Takumi swallows and, gently, pulls his hand out of Niles's grip. "Corrin probably won’t have the power to open the gates again until the next time the skies change--and that won’t be happening for over a decade. So before then I have to..." Takumi trails off briefly and finally looks up at Niles. His expression is something soft and unreadable. 

"Niles, I'm going to Valla."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, here it is. i really hope you guys have enjoyed these stories..i've become really invested in zerokumi ever since i started writing "at home beneath the stars" and im so glad it's captured the attention and love of so many readers so thank you !!! for reading my stuff and supporting me!! please enjoy!!!!!!

The archery range lies at the western portion of the soldier training grounds, just near the barracks. Dummy targets, limbs made of a mismatch of clay and wood, line one end of the field. The wood typically doesn’t break when taking shots--it is used for measuring and practicing precision. The clay is used for those who enjoy the satisfaction of seeing their targets shatter upon impact--in other words, stress relief. The dummies stand at different heights and in different positions. Niles's favorite ones are the ones with their backs turned. There's something inexplicably satisfying about shooting someone while they’re not looking.

Takumi, however, doesn't seem very amused as he stands next to Niles on the field, facing the dummies from fifteen or so meters away. His expression is difficult to read, but Niles can see there is something strained in the way he notches an arrow on the killer bow he’d borrowed from Niles. Several dummies (or rather, pieces of them) lay scattered about the field, having fallen under the shots Takumi had taken at them previously during his warm up with a practice bow. With what appears to be a fair amount of effort, Takumi lifts the much heavier killer bow and takes aim towards a dummy poised in an attack position, straw sword clenched in its wooden hand.

The arrow whistles right underneath the dummy's raised arm, and Takumi immediately lets out a curse under his breath. Niles's eyebrows go up, and he turns to look at him. Despite his short temper, Takumi very rarely swears, and especially not over such small things as a missed target.

"Maybe relax your shoulders a little?" suggests Niles mildly.

"I know that!" Takumi snaps, and then his expression falls immediately, eyes widening. "Sorry. I didn't mean to..."

"That's all right," says Niles, and he hates how dry it comes out. He stays silent as he watches Takumi notch another arrow, grip knuckle-white around the bow and shoulders still pulled into a tense line. The mediocre form is already starting to take its toll on him, a light sheen of sweat coating his forehead.

This shot surges straight through the dummy's arm, the momentum of it snapping the limb clean off with the sound of splintering wood. Niles lets out a low whistle.

"How's that for power?" he says.

Takumi nods in agreement, but Niles can tell from the way his jaw tightens that he isn't satisfied with the shot. He was aiming for the heart, painted over the dummy’s clay chest in the shape of an apple-sized black circle.

Niles watches Takumi takes in a deep, shaky breath in an attempt to bring his focus back in. He hasn't been able to meet Niles's eyes all morning. Perhaps it would have been better if he hadn't told him after all.

_And leave without saying goodbye?_

The third shot lands with an explosion of clay fragments. The dummy crumbles around the gaping hole in its chest, and for the first time in several hours, Niles sees Takumi smile.

But when he turns to Niles, the smile freezes on his face and melts back into that troubled frown, as if the reminder that Niles is there has put a damper on Takumi’s temporarily brightened disposition.

There is an insistent, dull ache in the bottom of Niles’s chest that he wishes he could just tear out and toss onto the ground. Is this whole thing his fault? Would it have been better for the both of them if he hadn’t pushed Takumi into telling him, just let him disappear into another world for the next ten years without a trace, like a ghost?

When his mother abandoned him, it was a band of thieves who found and raised him. When they too left him to die, it was Leo who gave him a reason to keep living and became his new family.

When Takumi leaves, will Niles be lucky enough to be found by another who will watch the moon with him with that same enchanted look Takumi wears every time he sits underneath the stars by Niles’s side?

Something trembles in the corner of Niles's vision, breaking him out of his reverie, and he looks down to see that Takumi's arms are already shaking from the strain of having taken so many shots in a row with the killer bow.

"Maybe we should take a break," Niles says and he takes Takumi's silence as an agreement.

Takumi doesn't protest as Niles takes the bow from his hands, but when their fingers brush against each other, he flinches back violently, releasing the bow to pull away.

The bow slips out of Niles's grip and clatters to the ground between them, metal ringing dully against concrete.

For a second, Niles is too stunned to say anything.

"I'm--I'm sorry," Takumi stutters, eyes wide and trained on the ground. "I--"

"It's fine," Niles says, and it surprises even him that his voice manages to make its way out of his throat. The ever-present terrible feeling in his gut has only grown worse since breakfast, and as the day wears on he becomes painfully aware of the increasing likelihood that it may eventually make its way out of him in the form of something that will end up hurting them both.

"I think I need some time alone," says Takumi, voice thick.

"Takumi--" Niles puts a hand on Takumi's shoulder, and tries to hide the hurt in his expression when the other shrugs it off.

"Not now, please--"

"Just tell me," Niles insists, grasping Takumi's wrist. He keeps his hold loose, and while Takumi still won't look at him, he doesn't pull away either. "Just promise me this won't be the last time we see each other before you go."

Takumi's lips quiver almost imperceptibly before he presses them together. "The second session of the treaty renewal concludes tomorrow at noon. We leave in the afternoon."

"I'll find you before then," Niles promises.

Takumi's smile is sad. "To say goodbye?"

Niles doesn't have an answer for him. Takumi pulls his hand out of Niles's grip and, without looking back, disappears into the castle.

-:-

The whole palace seems to go silent as the treaty renewal proceeds through the afternoon.

The servants step lightly and talk to each other in whispers, as if they are afraid that even the smallest offense might set off the tension between the representatives of the two nations sitting in the conference chambers. Soldiers stand stock-still in their stations, not daring to let the metal plates in their armor scrape against each other, and outside even the crickets seem to be holding their breath as the sky darkens.

It is driving Niles up the wall.

Niles knows people who appreciate the quiet when they are thinking. In fact, it's a common thing. But in total silence, Niles’s thoughts overwhelm him--too much, with too little control. They distract and confuse him. Background noise keeps him grounded, stops him from letting the thoughts consume him.

So he tries the kitchen first, hoping the bustle of the activity will be of help, but the scraping of pots and pans and the hiss of oil proves to be too much. The training grounds are among one of his more frequent haunts, but he knows that they'll be empty right now. The soldiers don't train when the castle is hosting guests--it is, as always, bad form.

His last resort is the library. Most would expect the library to be the quietest place in the castle, but Niles has come to find over the years that it is actually one of the busiest sections in Krakenburg.

The library is host to the largest collection of magical tomes in Nohr (and the world, most likely). During the war, only the castle's royal and army mages and scholars were allowed access to the archive, but after Garon's death and Xander's ascension to the throne, Leo spent many months pushing policies that would eventually open the library to the public.

Now, the library is never empty, even during the most unusual hours of the night. Mages from all over Nohr (and a good number of them from Hoshido and Valla as well) are constantly visiting the archives to study the tomes. Everywhere in the library, the sounds of old leather spines creaking and worn parchment paper rustling echoes among the shelves.

In the far back of the lowest of the twelve floors of the library sits a round tea table in front of a small, plush armchair.

A thin layer of dust sits on the velvet of the chair, and Niles has to cover his nose as he brushes it away. He's fairly certain he's the only person in the castle who actually remembers this little corner exists, but that's how he likes it. Despite his tendency to keep himself busy even when there's nothing in particular to do (people underestimate the value of time and waste far too much of it, in his opinion), it is during times like these, when his troubled thoughts are proving too much and too important to be pushed aside like they usually are, that he enjoys tucking himself away and just letting himself be forgotten for a while.

So he curls up in the armchair, pulls his cloak around himself, and tries to figure out a way to fix what he may have broken.

-:-

"Niles."

A low voice and a warm hand on his shoulder rouses him from the slumber he didn't know he'd fallen into. Blinking groggily, he squints against the dim yellow light from the oil lamp hanging overhead and sees pale hair.

"Takumi?" he mumbles, hopeful, but then the hand pulls away and thin lips curl into a grimace.

"For the love of god, Niles," Leo sighs.

"Lord Leo--" Niles straightens his back, clearing his throat and trying to shake off the last of the sleepy fog in his mind. A harsh twinge in his back tells him he's been out for an unfortunately long time--it is probably already quite late at night. "Did everything go all right during the treaty renewal?"

"Relax," Leo says, putting a hand up as Niles moves to stand. "It's not as if you've missed anything important." Leo flicks the same hand and, a moment later, a small velvet armchair identical to Niles's skirts its way around the corner as if being pulled by invisible strings. It comes to a soft stop right behind Leo, who sits down in it with another sigh and crosses his legs.

The casual way Leo uses magic in his everyday life is one of those things Niles will never really get over, regardless of how long he’s been around it as Leo’s retainer. It is common knowledge in Nohr that it takes tremendous aptitude in magic to be able to perform it, even for the smallest of tasks, without the use of a tome or a staff. Leo's incredible skill and intellect make him an extraordinary individual, far more than his status as a royal prince. Leo values his title, of course, and accepts all of the burdens that come with it. But there are things he cares about more, otherwise he wouldn't be here right now, sitting with his retainer in a dark corner of the castle library in the middle of the night.

A tray holding tea for two sits on the little round table in between them. Leo must have brought it with him. The prince picks up one of the ceramic cups, already poured, and takes a sip.

"To answer your question, the treaty renewal went about as expected," Leo says. "There was some disagreement and tension between the Nohrian council and some of the Hoshidan nobles, but Xander and King Ryoma managed to work together extraordinarily well to smooth things over."

"That's good," Niles says absently. Sitting in the back of his mind is the thought that he should probably care a little more about the matter, but he can’t bring himself to get around the numbness that sits under his skin, making his tongue heavy. He thinks about long hair and a smile like the sun, grasping for its warmth, but all it does is make his chest constrict painfully.

He doesn't realise Leo has been watching him until the prince gestures towards the second cup on the tea tray in invitation.

 _Come back_ , Leo is telling him. _And focus._

The tea is warm, but not scalding like Niles likes it. He wonders if Leo was waiting for him to wake up before he decided to do it himself. He feels a little bad.

"Did you manage to get a word in about those new reform policies you've been drafting?" Niles asks, letting the bitter on his tongue ground his scattered, wandering thoughts.

"I talked about a few of them, but not as many of them as I would have liked," says Leo. "Though I suppose what matters is that both nations were for the most part supportive of the crucial ones. I imagine I'll have my work cut out for me over these next few months."

Niles nods and, keeping his voice even, asks: "What will Hoshido be up to from here?"

Naturally, Leo is not fooled one bit. "Oh, so he told you after all. That he's going to Valla."

The tea is suddenly dry on Niles's tongue, and he puts his cup down and doesn't reply.

"Well, it's no wonder he spent the entire meeting with that thousand-yard-stare on his face. He usually has a lot more to say about--pretty much everything," says Leo, a tiny, fond smile tugging at his lips. "So were you planning on running off with him without telling me, then? I wonder what it is with my retainers being so terrible at goodbyes."

Niles frowns, trying to process Leo’s words. "My lord?"

Leo blinks at him, the confusion in his expression no doubt mirroring Niles's. "Aren't you going with Takumi to Valla?"

"No--I..." Niles swallows and looks down at the dark carpet. "He didn't ask me to."

For a moment, Leo is silent. Then, softly, "Ah."

When Niles looks up, he sees Leo pinching the bridge of his nose, looking exasperated. "Lord Leo...?"

"So that's what this is all about," says Leo. "He was too scared to do it after all."

"What are you talking about?" Niles asks. "Did he talk to you about this?"

"Well, naturally. I've known that he plans on travelling to Valla for weeks now," says Leo. "It's kind of an important part of the whole 'ally' thing we have going on with both Hoshido and Valla to keep each other in the loop."

Niles hates that his first instinct is to be jealous about how much easier it apparently is for Takumi to talk to Leo than to him. "Right," he bites out.

Leo, sensing his petty jealousy, rolls his eyes. "He was agonizing over whether or not he wanted to tell you. The idea of asking you to go with him didn't even cross his mind--it was only a matter of whether or not he would have the guts to say goodbye."

"I noticed that much," says Niles, wishing Leo would just get to the point already. "What I don't get is why."

"Ugh," groans Leo, like he can't believe what he's hearing, and he drains the last of his tea before holding his cup out towards Niles.

Despite himself, Niles can't help but smile a little as he pours a second cup for Leo. This is familiar. Easy.

"He thinks I need you," says Leo like it's the most obvious thing in the world as he leans back in his seat. "And that it would be selfish of him to ask you to leave me."

And as Niles hears the words, he realises-- "It would. If I was going disappear for the next decade and I asked him to go with me..."

"All right, before you continue with that line of thought, try to remember that he's a royal prince of Hoshido. Of course it would be hard for him to just up and disappear.” Leo points at Niles. “But who are you?"

"I'm a retainer to the royal family," Niles replies automatically.

"That's right. And as much as I've come to value your services and your loyalty to me, the truth is that you're replaceable," says Leo.

It stings to hear that from his own liege. It's an obvious fact, especially in the wake of Odin's disappearance immediately after the war. Leo had been hurt, but it hadn't stopped him from stepping up to his new responsibilities and even surpassing all expectations of him, as he always did. Losing Odin hadn't been the end of the world.

Still, Niles feels his mouth twist into a crooked smile. "That was a little cold, don't you think, my lord?"

Leo sighs. "You know you're important to me, and I appreciate everything you've done for me. You fought by my side and protected me during the war, and for that you will have my eternal respect and gratitude. But look at me, Niles. Do I look like I wouldn't be able to continue on without you?"

Leo's question is simple, yet it strikes like something profound in Niles's chest. Niles looks up.

Exhaustion sits heavy on the young prince's shoulders, Niles can see by the way he slouches slightly in his seat--something he would never do in front of Xander and the Nohrian council. Shadowy bruises have formed underneath his eyes--they look darker than they really are against his pale skin. But the bright, clever gleam in his eyes hasn't disappeared, and the defiance in his expression hasn't lost its intensity from the first time they met so many years ago. If anything, it seems to only have grown stronger, sharp and shrewd against his boyish features.

Niles drops his gaze with a small, embarrassed laugh. "My lord, you could single-handedly conquer the world if you put your mind to it. Of that I never had any doubt."

"I thought so," says Leo, something smug in the finality in his tone, but his voice softens as he continues. "Takumi is my friend and your--” He waves his hand vaguely “--but he doesn't know us like we know each other. He lets his insecurities cloud his perception--you know how he can be. I know you like to tease him, but I fear this time you might need to take a more straightforward approach before you end up being separated from him for the next decade."

"It's not that I'm teasing him," says Niles, feeling a little defensive though he can't blame Leo. He thinks about the little black box he has stowed away in the drawer in his room, and feels his stomach churn with anxiety. He hasn’t been teasing, but there can be no doubt that he hasn’t been completely straightforward about his desires either. “What if he just doesn’t want me to go with him?”

Leo gives Niles a short, searching look. If he finds anything, he doesn’t deem it worth sharing. With a shake of his head, the prince rises from his seat.

"You can both spend all night stewing in your ‘what ifs’--because I know that's what that bonehead is doing right this moment--but there is, in fact, a painfully easy way to learn what the other is really thinking," he says, and his expression softens. "All you have to do is ask."

-:-

The air in the gardens is much cleaner and lighter than the dust-riddled atmosphere in the library. Niles breathes in deeply, letting it clear his head as he takes his usual seat on the stone bench, looks up at the waning moon, and tries to remember the last time he saw Valla's three moons.

He had accompanied Leo on a diplomatic trip to Valla a little over a year and a half ago. It had been his first time there since the royal Vallite palace had been repaired, and his first time going to Valla without Takumi there. During the little free time he’d been granted, he'd gone to the castle’s library to seek out the star charts Azura had told him about so long ago, and he had spent every night out on the castle roof, watching the moons and stars and charting them on the map. But as new and pleasantly distracting as it had been, Niles had been unable to shake off a feeling of profound loneliness every time he looked away from the dark sky to find no one there by his side. It didn't feel right being there without Takumi.

Will Takumi feel the same if Niles lets him leave without going with him?

Niles reaches into his pocket and takes hold of the little black box he’d picked up from the drawer in his room on his way out. After a moment of deliberation, he takes it out. The velvet on the lid is soft, probably even a little worn from all the times Niles has fiddled with it. At this point in his life, Niles is fairly confident in his ability to get pretty much anything he wants, but something about Takumi always has Niles second-guessing himself.

He cracks the lid open a sliver to check inside, just for a glance--

"Niles?"

Niles bolts to his feet, heart jumping to his throat as he shoves the box back into his pocket and swivels to face whoever it is that's managed to sneak up on him.

Takumi stares back at him with wide eyes, and Niles lets out the breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Gods, you scared me," Niles mutters, pulse still jumping.

Takumi's expression twists with guilt. "S-sorry. Um, if you wanted to be alone I could--"

"No--hey." Niles takes Takumi's hand before the other can flee, and pulls him in close.

Takumi lets him, leaning into him though the guilty look doesn't leave his face.

"Missed you today," Niles says quietly. Despite everything, he still feels himself relax at the familiarity of having Takumi so close to him.

Takumi is stiff in his arms, but his voice is soft as he replies, "I figured you'd be out here."

"Aw, you came looking for me?"

Takumi's ears are red as he buries his face into Niles's chest. "I mean--I just wanted to spend a little more time with you before I...left."

Niles kisses the top of Takumi's head. "Then it's a good thing I was waiting down here for you."

"Very funny," Takumi mumbles, and his shoulders sag a little.

Takumi's ponytail hangs limp from the back of his head, with strands of hair coming loose like he's been running his hands through it. Under the moonlight, his freckles stand dark against his skin and he blinks slowly at nothing in particularly, gaze unfocused, like he can barely keep his eyes open. He looks so tired.

Niles sits them both down on the bench, Takumi relaxing against his side as Niles puts an arm securely around his waist.

"Another long day, huh?" Niles asks softly, and Takumi nods.

"Thought that meeting would never end," Takumi says. "It would have gone over so much faster if the nobles hadn't spent so long bickering over pointless stuff."

Niles laughs. "Isn't that how it always is?"

"Pretty much," sighs Takumi. "I wish I'd gotten more done, but I spent the entire time thinking about how bad I still feel about waiting so long to tell you."

Niles stiffens, then forces himself to relax. "Still hung up on that, huh?"

“I mean, I know how much you hate it when people keep things from you." Takumi looks up at him, eyes wide and nervous. “I really am sorry, Niles.”

Frustration bubbles up inside of Niles. He hates that he makes Takumi feel the need to apologize for things that aren’t his fault. "You know,” he says, "Leo came down and talked to me earlier."

Takumi’s eyebrows go up before his expression melts into a deep scowl. "That snitch."

Niles laughs and presses a thumb against Takumi's brow, smoothing it out.  "He only told me what I should have already known."

Takumi gives him a searching look, anxiety dark in his eyes. "Like what?"

"Like how you were so afraid of having to say goodbye you didn't stop to consider that maybe we don’t have to be separated just because you're leaving."

"Niles." Takumi's voice comes out strained, like he really doesn’t want to have the conversation Niles is starting. "There's a limit to how selfish one person can be."

"Maybe," Niles concedes. "But you know I would give you anything you want anyway." He rests a hand on Takumi's cheek. "All you have to do is ask."

Takumi leans into his touch briefly, eyelashes fluttering, but then he reaches up and gently pulls Niles's hand away, holding it tightly in his. He looks away, expression twisted with mixed emotions. "What if you say no?"

"Have I ever been able to say no to you?" Niles asks, but Takumi doesn't reply, lips pressed tightly together in a thin line.

The box sits heavy in Niles's pocket. He makes up his mind.

"All right, then. I'll ask mine first."

Takumi blinks as he watches Niles leave the bench to kneel in front of him. "What...?"

The box should be familiar in his hand, but it feels awkward as he pulls it out of his pocket and, after taking in a deep, quiet breath, lifts the lid. Three gems, one of pink coral flanked by two of purple quartz, sit in a line atop a band of white gold.

"Niles," Takumi chokes out, eyes wide as pink rushes to his cheeks. "This is..."

"For you, if you'll have it," Niles says, heart pounding so hard in his chest he's certain Takumi can hear it in his voice. "Takumi, will you marry me?"

Takumi inhales sharply and averts his gaze, and a cold dread creeps up Niles’s spine.

_He’s going to say no._

But then Takumi bites his lip hard, and Niles realises he's trying to hold back the tears that are welling up at the corners of his eyes as he nods almost imperceptibly.

"I will," Takumi says, voice thick, and then he is sliding off the bench and falling into Niles's arms as a delighted laugh escapes his lips. "Yes, Niles, I'll marry you."

Niles feels his breath leave him.

"You will?" he murmurs dazedly, mind racing to keep up with itself as his heart all but stops beating.

Takumi pulls away to take Niles's face in his hands, looking at him through watery eyes. "Why do you sound so surprised?"

"I don't know," Niles admits, reaching up absently to wipe the single tear that escapes down Takumi’s cheek. He desperately wants to kiss him. "I wasn't sure what to expect, I guess."

Takumi smiles tenderly and brushes some of Niles's hair back from his forehead, and his touch is suddenly fire against Niles’s skin as he replies, "Have I ever been able to say no to you?"

There is a split-second pause between them, and Takumi's expression falters as they both realise he's unconsciously echoed Niles's own words from earlier.

Finally, Niles gives in and leans forward to capture Takumi’s lips with his. Takumi gasps softly as their lips come together, and then he is reciprocating with an almost fierce enthusiasm, all hesitation gone as he presses heated, open mouthed kisses against Niles’s lips.

"I love you," Niles murmurs in between kisses, their faces impossibly close--foreheads touching and noses brushing against each other. "I love you, I love you."

Takumi's voice is bright with affection as he giggles softly and replies, breathlessly, "I love you, too."

Niles closes his eye and they fall silent, resting their foreheads against each other and breathing softly into each other’s spaces. It gives Niles time to remember the ring.

"Here--" Niles takes the ring out of the box and slides it onto Takumi's finger. It's a perfect fit, and he silently thank the gods, because it had been hellish trying to get Takumi's ring size without letting him know about it. After weeks of agonizing between finding a way of asking him without being suspicious (as if) and just eyeballing it (an extremely bad idea), Niles had resorted to swiping some of his jewelry on a brief trip to Hoshido nearly two years ago and asking a jeweler to measure the size off of them before returning them as quickly as he could. It's probably the only time he's ever been glad to have grown up a thief.

"It's pretty." Takumi turns the ring on his finger, watching the moonlight catch the gems at different angles. When he looks up, the gentle smile on his face is enough to make Niles fall in love all over again. "Thank you."

"Anything for you," replies Niles, and he means it. He catches Takumi's gaze in his. "So just ask, already."

He takes Takumi's hands in his, squeezing them tight. Takumi's hands are smaller than his, but the callouses on his palms are identical to Niles's, if not even more defined. It was Takumi's strength that first drew Niles to him, and it is that same strength that he is now counting on.

Takumi’s pale lashes are still wet, but his eyes are clear as he says, "Come to Valla with me, Niles."

Niles's chest swells with something he isn’t sure how to describe at first--a mix of pride and joy, perhaps. It is not something he is accustomed to, but it makes him grin all the same at the feeling of something clicking into place, snuffing out the terrible ache in his chest and finally, finally untying the knot in his stomach.

He lifts Takumi's hand and kisses the ring on his finger.

“When do we leave?"

 

* * *

 

_Epilogue_

Niles lays the star chart out against the concrete surface of the castle roof, pressing the folds out of the yellowing parchment and placing paperweights at the corners to keep it in place. A soft, cool breeze skates by, but the paperweights hold. Niles looks up and is satisfied to see a clear sky dotted with brightly shining stars.

Deeprealms, actually, he’s learned recently. Another aspect of Valla’s sky that is quite different from that of Hoshido and Nohr. The ones that shift positions with the changing of time are stars, and the ones that stay unmoving in their spots are Deeprealms--entire other worlds, where time and space and perhaps life itself all operate differently.

Valla's three moons are bright against the deep blue canvas of the night sky, the crater-dotted Freyja flanked by her companions Hela and Valkyrie.

From his pack, Niles pulls out a set of ink and quills, some measuring devices, and a miniature telescope, then lays them out next to the star chart. Satisfied that he hasn't forgotten anything, he settles down onto the wool blanket he'd set out and watches the sky as he waits.

It doesn't take Takumi long to arrive, coming up through the ladder hatch with the blue adventurer’s cloak Niles had left for him draped over his shoulders. He hefts a woven basket up and places it onto the blanket before sitting down next to Niles.

"It's rare to see you come out of a meeting on time," Niles remarks, putting his arm around Takumi as the other leans into him.

"Corrin moved it along," says Takumi. "I think she's starting to lose her patience with the council."

Niles shrugs. "Who knew you could expect a room full of privileged, self-interested nobles to act the same no matter where you take them."

"They're trying," Takumi says in their defense. "They could just...afford to try a little harder. At least they're not actively giving us any trouble about the relocation bill."

"Why would they complain about the commoners being moved farther away from them?"

"They're being moved out onto rural farmland so that they can start feeding themselves and the kingdom," Takumi says, brow furrowing into that one frown that Niles always gets flak for calling "cute."

Niles smiles and presses a kiss to Takumi's cheek. "You're doing a lot of good in there, Takumi."

Takumi sighs, mollified, and drops his head onto Niles's shoulder. "I hope so. And I'm glad you'll be here to see it."

"Nowhere else I'd rather be."

Takumi doesn't reply, but Niles glances down in time to see him hide a smile behind his hand. The ring Niles had gifted him glints briefly in the moonlight, subtle but elegant on his slim finger. Niles feels light, like he could up and just float away on command. It's a good feeling.

"I swiped some stuff from the kitchens on the way up, by the way," says Takumi, gesturing at the basket, and Niles peeks under the lid to see an array of fruits and savory snacks. "You always get hungry a couple hours in."

"Aw, you spoil me," Niles coos in that way he knows embarrasses Takumi.

Predictably, Takumi blushes high on his cheeks, turning away and muttering, "Gross."

Niles laughs and pulls Takumi into his arms, hugging him tightly. Takumi is quiet as he hugs Niles back, hands coming up to grip the back of his shirt briefly before he pulls away.

"I, um, have something for you," he says, voice quiet with a shyness that Niles hasn't seen from him in a long time.

"It's not my birthday yet," Niles jokes lightly, and he's glad to see Takumi's mouth quirk into a tiny smile.

"Well, we've been talking about the wedding and how we wanted it to happen soon," Takumi begins, and from his pocket he pulls out a tiny velvet pouch and hands it to Niles.

It isn't difficult to guess what it is, but Niles still can't help the way his heart skips a beat when he turns the pouch over and a ring falls out into his open hand. It is a metal band of rose gold, and on the front is a small round plate where the Hoshidan royal crest sits on raised metal painted black. For all that Niles knows Hoshidans to be partial towards flamboyance, this particular piece is dazzling in its simple elegance.

"It belonged to my mother," says Takumi.

Niles looks up. "Queen Mikoto?"

"Ah--well, Queen Mikoto owned one as well, but I was actually talking about my biological mother," Takumi says. "She gave it to me shortly before she passed away. We have a custom in the royal family, see--when a member of the family takes on a consort, they present the individual with this ring, and..."

Takumi trails off, probably too nervous to continue, if the way he's wringing the hem of his cloak between his hands is any indication.

"So, if I wear this," Niles begins slowly, turning the ring in his hand. "It marks me as yours."

Takumi drops his head in his hands, blush burning all the way up to the tips of his ears. Niles bites his lip to hold back a grin. "I wasn't going to put it that way, but yes. Essentially."

Niles slides the ring onto his finger, and raises his eyebrows. "It's a perfect fit."

"Oh, good," says Takumi, before the relief in his expression melts back into anxiety. "I mean, I--I know it's kind of a weird thing. If you don't want it, we can go out and find some other--"

"On the contrary," Niles cuts in gently, raising his hand in front of him and finding that he already quite likes the way the gold accents his dark skin. "I don't think I ever want to take this off."

A relieved smile spreads on Takumi's face. "Really?"

Niles takes Takumi's hands in his and laces their fingers together, their palms warm against each other. He feels the cool metal of Takumi's ring against his skin, and looks down to where his own ring sits nestled snug between Takumi's fingers. The feeling of belonging to someone--belonging _with_ someone--is one he never knew how badly he wanted until he met Takumi, and it now sits large and bright in his chest.

"You know what we should do?" Takumi murmurs, voice low.

"Make love under the stars?" Niles suggests, waggling his eyebrows goofily, and he laughs as Takumi shoves his face away.

"I'm _trying_ to say that we should go traveling."

Niles blinks at that. "What, down here? In Valla?"

"Well--yeah, seeing as we're kind of stuck here for the next few years anyway," says Takumi, shrugging. "I mean, it would only be for a couple of weeks at a time since I'd have to come back to work, but don't you think it would be fun? With just the two of us?"

And just like that Niles finds himself thinking of long trips on horseback, far away from the bustle of the palace life, spending their nights out in the wilderness and mapping the stars and Deeprealms together without having to worry about being missed.

"I think I'd like that, yeah," Niles says a little distantly. He almost wants to take Takumi's hand and leave with him right away.

It must show on his face, because Takumi laughs softly at him and cups his cheek. "Try to stay with me here in the meantime, yeah?"

Niles turns his head and brushes a gentle kiss against Takumi’s palm. "Just looking forward to it, is all."

Takumi closes his fingers over his palm, as if to trap the kiss in his hand. It's adorable.

"Thank you," Takumi says softly. "For coming to Valla with me, I mean. I would have missed you terribly if you didn't."

"I would follow you to hell and back," says Niles, and he means it. Above them, the stars in the night sky gleam with the promise of an entire world yet unexplored. "All you'd have to do is ask."

 


End file.
